The annual wintertime battle of the bands is taking place the next five weekends at Cleveland's House of Blues.

"It is uniquely a Cleveland event," said Live Nation Special Events Director Frank Imhoff.

"What helped a lot is in the first 10 years the event was at The Odeon and in the 11th year it was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This will be the sixth year at the House of Blues. That has a lot to do with it. You couldn't pull this event off in a high school gymnasium. The fact that the event has taken place at famous popular downtown Cleveland venues makes it special. That's what a lot of the draw is."

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The stakes remain high for the bands. Not only are bragging rights in play, but there's also quite a prize package.

This year's winning band receives $1,000 cash and $200 for their respective high school music program, as well as the highly coveted opportunity to open up for a Live Nation or House of Blues concert. The act will also appear on Tri-C's cable television program "Crooked River Groove" and another show.

Second place gets $250 cash and $100 for their respective high school music program. Third place receives $150 cash.

"The talent level has increased dramatically over the years," Imhoff said. "Years ago, if we had 100 entries it was 100 different bands, and now what I'm seeing are kids forming multiple bands or kids playing in a four-piece metal band and also doing a seven-piece ska band. Then we have kids that will have a band and also do a solo project. So the kids are getting more experimental."

Imhoff said something else that changed over the years is the allure of the event. While getting a chance to open for a mainstream band at the House of Blues is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the Rock Off boosting the grand prize from $500 to $1,000 recently has also added some interest. Then there's the social-networking aspect, where teenage bands are thinking more long-term, with the Rock Off giving them an opportunity for added exposure in the music scene.

Looking ahead, Imhoff feels the event could get bigger. It's already attracting high school bands from as far away as Pennsylvania and Michigan. This year's event includes 255 students performing in 63 bands and representing 69 high schools.

Imhoff feels the Rock Off's popularity stems from the fact that many of the kids who perform aren't jocks or necessarily the most popular kids in school. So for them, this is tantamount to going to a district or state competition in a sport.

"They don't really have any other platforms to showcase their talents in front of their families and friends," Imhoff said. "The kids who have played in the Rock Off often refer to it as the greatest thing that ever happened to them. They're not athletes and not on homecoming courts. It gives them a level of confidence that they're able to go out on the House of Blues stage and perform. They wouldn't get that exposure otherwise, so it makes them feel special."